The Girl continued
by kyolover16
Summary: This a continuation of my origional story the Girl where Joe and the rest of the Cartwrights adopt a little girl. Story takes 10 years from the original. I recommend that you read the girl first.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**A/N: This story takes place 10 years after my original story The Girl. I recommend reading this one. The only thing I own in this story is Jane and her father which this story is told through her eyes.**

**First chapter is going to be short.**

"_It's been 10 years since Grandpa Ben, Uncle Adam, Uncle Hoss and Pa took me in. I thought as I got out of bed. I walked down the stairs where I saw my family in the living room. Pa was sitting on the couch, Grandpa was sitting in the red chair, Uncle Adam was sitting in the blue chair and Uncle Hoss was sitting next to Pa. _

_As soon as I got the bottom if the stairs, they stood up and Pa came over to me, took me by the hand and led me to the dining table, which had a chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. "Happy birthday, Jane." he said as he sat me down at the table and then the rest of them sat down as well._

"_Make a wish and blow out the candles." Grandpa said. _

_I looked at my family and then at the cake. "Why should I wish for anything? I have everything I could ask for. A roof over my head and a family who loves me."_

_Uncle Hoss looked at me hungrily and said. "Come on already and blow out the candles already."_

_I then blew out the candles. Right after I did that there was knock on the door._

_I went to open it and there stood Sherriff Coffee at the door. "Jane, I have some bad news for you." _


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait for the update.**

**Pa led us into the living room, where we sat on the chairs and the settee. "What is it that you wanted to talk to Jane about?"**

**Roy took off his hat and said. "I don't really know how to tell you this, Jane, but your father is back in town."**

**I looked at my family and then at Roy. "What? That man has the nerve to show his face around her again?"**

**Pa looked at my face closely and what he saw was a look that he'd never seen on her before. "It's ok, Jane. I'm going to let him hurt you again."**

**I hugged my Pa and said to the sheriff "If he's in town, do you think that he could come and try to do something to us?"**

**Sheriff Coffee looked at the rest of my family trying to decide on what to tell me and then he said. "There is a chance that he could come, but I don't think that there's going to be a problem to you. Listen, it was nice talking to you, but I better get back into town to make sure that there's no trouble in town."**

**I got up and walked the sheriff to the door and said "Thank you for telling me about my Dad, but as far as I'm concerned, Joseph Cartwright is my Dad." I said as I watched him ride away. I didn't know it though but my Dad was standing outside waiting for his chance to get us.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it.**

After Sherriff Coffee left the house, we talked for a few minutes and then I finally decided that it was time for me to go to bed.

When I got up to my room and got into my bed, I heard a gunshot from outside my window. I looked out and saw a man running towards the barn. After the shot I heard feet running up the stairs.

The door opened and my dad rushed in the room with his gun out and when he saw that there was nothing in my room except for me, he put it back in his holster. "Are you ok?"

I looked at him and said. "The gunshot I heard came from underneath my window. I saw the shooter running towards the barn. I don't know if he's still there or not though. That was just the direction that I saw him go."

Dad ran out of my room and outside the house with the rest of the family and went to the barn and checked to see if the person who shot the gun was in there.

As soon as they got back inside, Dad came into my room and made sure that I was alright. "Everything is fine. You go back to sleep and I'll see you in the morning."

"Ok." I said as I closed my eyes and listened as my father went downstairs with the rest of my family.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The next morning I got up and went downstairs and found my father sitting on a chair with a shotgun that was pointed at the door. I went over to him and shook him "Hey Pa, it's time for you to wake up."

Pa stirred and looked around and then he saw me standing right next to the chair, he smiled and put his arm around my shoulder and said "Don't worry, your uncles, Grandpa, and I will make sure that no one tries to harm or kidnap you."

I looked at Pa and said. "I know that you are doing this to protect me, and I appreciate it. But, I don't want you guys to get hurt in the process."

Just then, Grandpa Ben came down the stairs and said "Don't you worry about us. We can take care of ourselves."

I looked at Grandpa and said. "I know that, but that still doesn't make me feel any better about you guys defending me."

Pa and Grandpa looked at me and then they both hugged me and then Uncle Adam and Hoss came down and we sat down to breakfast. But little did we know that there was going to be something that was going to try to tear my family apart.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Right after breakfast we went out to the barn and got to work on our chores. I went with Uncle Adam and helped him round up the stray cattle that were wandering around the land.

While we were taking a break from this chore Uncle Adam decided that it was time to talk to me about what happened at the house the other night. "Jane, I know you are afraid about what could happen to us, but I want you to know that we are not going to get hurt."

I looked at my uncle and said. "I know, but I want to be able to be able to take care of myself and also I want to be able to do the same for you as you are doing for me.

Uncle Adam didn't say anything else after that so we got back on our horses and rode back towards the house. When we got there, I helped Uncle Adam put the horses back in the stalls brush them out.

We were about to go into the house when I heard a shot from behind me and then I felt a sharp pain in my side. As I fell to the ground I saw Uncle Adam pull out his gun and tried to shoot who it was that shot me, but he missed. I then felt hands gently lift me up and carried me into the house.

The last thing I heard before I went unconscious was my father asking "What happened, Adam?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Joe's POV**

There was no way that this had happened to my daughter. After I ran outside with my father and my brother Hoss, because of the shots by the barn. When we got outside, I saw my brother Adam lifting Jane into his arms and he started towards the house. "What happened, Adam?"

As Adam laid Jane on the settee and started to take off her shirt so he could get a better look at the wound. He said. "We were just coming inside after putting the horses up, and then out of nowhere Jane got shot. I tried to get the person who did it, but there were already gone."

I nodded my head and turned to Hoss who was already at the door "I'll get the Doc, Joe." He said as he headed out the door.

I sat down next to Jane on the floor and just held on to her handed and silently starting to pray that God wouldn't take her away from us.

**Hoss's POV**

I rode as fast as I could to Virginia City and went straight to the Doctor's office and said "Doc, you've got to come out to the house right now. Jane has been shot." We then headed to the house, hoping that we were going to get there in time.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Joe's POV **

As I sat at beside my daughter's bed, waiting for Hoss and the doctor to come, I prayed to God that he would spare Jane's life and let her live.

After I sat there with tears silently coming down my cheeks, I then felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and saw Adam by my side. "I'm sorry that I let this happen to her, little brother. If I could turn back time, I would. In order to make sure that this didn't happen to Jane again."

I looked up at him and said. "What happened to Jane was and is not your fault. I want you to get that out of your head right now. It was something that we couldn't prevent."

Adam looked at Jane and said "I know that Joe. But that still doesn't change the fact that Jane has been shot."

Just then we heard the sound of a wagon in the front of the house. I started to go down the stairs with Adam right behind me, but I when I looked behind me, Adam wasn't there.

When I got to the door, Hoss and the doctor were about to walk in. "Thank you for coming, Doctor." I said as I led him up the stairs and into Jane's room.

"No problem, Joe. As soon as Hoss told me what was going on, I knew that I had to get out here as soon as I could, so naturally I went right away." The doctor said as he started to examine Jane. "The bullet is going to have to come out right now, otherwise she won't last the night."

As soon as I heard that, I left the room leaving the doctor and my two brothers to attend to my daughter.

Pa noticed that I left the room and followed me into mine. "Joe, she's a strong girl. She's going to pull through this."

I let Pa pull me into a hug and we sat on my bed waiting for the doctor to get finished with Jane.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7**

**Joe's POV **

As I sat at beside my daughter's bed, waiting for Hoss and the doctor to come, I prayed to God that he would spare Jane's life and let her live.

After I sat there with tears silently coming down my cheeks, I then felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and saw Adam by my side. "I'm sorry that I let this happen to her, little brother. If I could turn back time, I would. In order to make sure that this didn't happen to Jane again."

I looked up at him and said. "What happened to Jane was and is not your fault. I want you to get that out of your head right now. It was something that we couldn't prevent."

Adam looked at Jane and said "I know that Joe. But that still doesn't change the fact that Jane has been shot."

Just then we heard the sound of a wagon in the front of the house. I started to go down the stairs with Adam right behind me, but I when I looked behind me, Adam wasn't there.

When I got to the door, Hoss and the doctor were about to walk in. "Thank you for coming, Doctor." I said as I led him up the stairs and into Jane's room.

"No problem, Joe. As soon as Hoss told me what was going on, I knew that I had to get out here as soon as I could, so naturally I went right away." The doctor said as he started to examine Jane. "The bullet is going to have to come out right now, otherwise she won't last the night."

As soon as I heard that, I left the room leaving the doctor and my two brothers to attend to my daughter.

Pa noticed that I left the room and followed me into mine. "Joe, she's a strong girl. She's going to pull through this."

I let Pa pull me into a hug and we sat on my bed waiting for the doctor to get finished with Jane.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Laura and the girl played together all day. They were heading from the barn when a man rode up and started talking to them.

As soon as the girl saw who it was she started to who it was, she started to scream.

Laura looked at her and then yelled for Charles.

Charles ran out of the house and when he saw the girl shaking, he ran to the guy on the horse and said "Who are you and what are you doing on my property?"

The man didn't say anything, but instead he shot the girl and then rode away. Charles ran to the girl, picked her up and carried her back into the house.

Laura was just about to walk into the house when Charles stopped her. "Laura, I need you to go and get Dr. Baker."

Laura ran as fast as her legs could carry her. As soon as she got to the doctor's office she ran in without knocking.

Doctor Baker stood up and said. "What seems to be the problem Laura?"

Laura stood there, catching her breath and then she said. "The girl that is staying with us got shot a few minutes ago. My Pa told me to come and get you."

Doctor Baker quickly picked up his bag and they headed back to the house. When he walked in the house, Dr. Baker went directly to the girl and said. "I'm going to have to take out the bullet right now."

Charles looked at Laura and said. "I don't want you or your sisters to see this."

Laura took her sisters and went outside while her father and the doctor went to work.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**Joe's POV**

After what seemed like forever, the doctor came into my room and said. "I got the bullet out. But, it's going to be a touch and go for at least the next twenty-four hours."

I looked at the doctor and said "Thank you for coming out."

The doctor looked at me and said "You're welcome."

I then went back into Jane's room and sat by her bed.

After a few minutes Jane woke up and started yelling, but when she saw me she calmed down. "Pa, what happened to me?"

I looked at her and said. "You got shot while you and Uncle Adam after you guys put up the horses."

Jane looked around the room again and said. "Where is Uncle Adam?"

I looked at her not knowing what to say. Because I knew that Adam was staying away from Jane because of what he thought.

Just as I was about to tell Jane what Adam was thinking, when he walked into the room. "How are you doing, Jane?"

Jane looked at Adam and said. "I'm fine Uncle Adam. Except that I'm a little sore, but it isn't anything that I can't handle."

Adam hugged her and said. "I'm sorry that this happened to you."

Jane looked at her uncle and said. "It is not your fault that this happened to me. It was nobody's fault, except for the guy that shot me."

I stood back by the bedroom door and knew that it was going to take some time, but Adam was finally seeing that it was not his fault that my daughter was shot.


End file.
